noun
Common
saint
sehnt
Saint (noun) means a person formally recognized by a church, especially the Catholic Church, as holy after death, often due to a virtuous life or miracles. Example: “The cathedral was built in honor of the city's patron saint.”
noun
1
A person formally recognized by a church, especially the Catholic Church, as holy after death, often due to a virtuous life or miracles.
"The cathedral was built in honor of the city's patron saint."
"Joan of Arc was declared a saint centuries after her death."
"The church holds a festival every year on the feast day of its saint."
2
A person regarded as remarkably kind, patient, or morally admirable.
"You'd have to be a saint to put up with that commute every day."
"My nan is a saint for looking after all the neighbours' cats."
"Our teacher was a saint, never raising her voice at the noisiest class."
How to use saint
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA holy person officially honored by a church, or, informally, someone unusually good and patient.
Common pairings
patron saint
canonized as a saint
a saint of a person
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- saints
- Past tense
- sainted
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The cathedral was built in honor of the city's patron _____.
Etymology
From Old French saint, ultimately from Latin sanctus ("holy, consecrated").
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for saint
See all rhymes for saint →Frequently asked questions
What does “saint” mean?
The word “saint” means a person formally recognized by a church, especially the Catholic Church, as holy after death, often due to a virtuous life or miracles. In plain terms, a holy person officially honored by a church, or, informally, someone unusually good and patient.
How do you pronounce “saint”?
“Saint” is pronounced sehnt (/seɪnt/ in IPA).
How do you use “saint” in a sentence?
Here is “saint” used in a sentence: “The cathedral was built in honor of the city's patron saint.”
What part of speech is “saint”?
“Saint” is a noun.
Where does the word “saint” come from?
The word “saint” comes from Latin. From Old French saint, ultimately from Latin sanctus ("holy, consecrated").
Is “saint” a common word?
“Saint” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “saint” have?
“Saint” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person formally recognized by a church, especially the Catholic Church, as holy after death, often due to a virtuous life or miracles.
What is the difference between a saint and a martyr?
A saint is a person formally recognised by a church as holy, usually after death. A martyr is someone who dies for their faith. Many martyrs are later declared saints because of their sacrifice, but not all saints are martyrs; some are recognised for a virtuous life, good works, or reported miracles rather than for dying.
How does someone become a saint?
In the Catholic Church, sainthood follows a formal process called canonisation. After death, a person's life is examined for heroic virtue, and miracles attributed to their intercession are investigated. They may first be declared 'venerable' and then 'blessed' through beatification before finally being canonised as a saint. Other churches recognise saints in their own ways.
What does it mean to call someone a saint?
Beyond the religious sense, calling someone a saint is warm praise for their exceptional patience, kindness, or selflessness. It suggests a person so good and forgiving that they seem almost holy, as in 'she's a saint for putting up with that.' Used this way, the word is affectionate and often slightly exaggerated.
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